New Song- "Taken"

SLuiCe

SLuiCe

New member
I've been posting mostly ruffies lately and I've been receiving a lot of creative thoughts from you guys. It's cool when you can try out new things and people come up with their own ideas to add perspective. So I almost did that with this one that I started over the weekend. But I decided to see what I could do by myself with it first.

I thought about adding synth pads for layering, but I think it can work with just the acoustic guitars... what do you think?

Also, this one's been a little battle with psycho-acoustics for me, so any and all mix comments are welcome. I'm doing what I can with a $360 Seagull.

Thanks a lot.



#"Taken"



technical notes: two stereo miked acoustic guitars playing in unison and two other acoustic guitar tracks weaving with various purposes throughout.
two Les Paul/Marshall/SM57 tracks
the usual, I guess...
fake bass track
fake drums
fake boobs
 
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my first impressions was that i didnt like the clickiness of the percussion part, whatever that is, during the parts like the intro....also some fret noise in parts after 1:12 didnt really set well with me, even though im a fan of fret noise......and that has coccluded my mixmkr-friendly part of this post

im now gonna gush about how great a song and mix this is.....theres a select few posting here who really grasp the importance of songwriting, arrangement, dynamics,etc. ....im not even CLOSE to grasping it myself......you have it mastered.....

this is just an awesome song all around.....


MIKE
 
Gidge, thanks a lot. That clickiness is the light guage pick on one of the acoustic tracks. I used the C3 mic on that track and it accentuated it badly. Thanks for pointing it out. I had pretty much gotten used to it, which is a bad thing. Gonna redo that track.
 
very cool... you need to do more of your yelling like @ 1:30... sounds soo good.. i guess all songs dont need it :) me likes though

definitely more creative that most stuff on the radio.. imo

Our mixes are totally opposite... yours are as dry as a bone and mine are swimming in a swamp of effects... I can hear that is why your mixes soo clean and clear and mine get a little muddy.

the snare sounds plastic... but im sure you dont wanna hear that :D

download some samples from akai's famous mpc2000 sampler... they have better drum samples... and import them into your board!


ftp://ftp.akaipro.co.jp/


great tune!! I like!
 
Thanks Jeff. To be honest, I love these drums....but I'll try yours out. Always room for improvement. Thanks brotha!
 
lot's of greatness once again.. it's almost too much!!:D

some nice vocals.. the vocal sound is good too..

wasn't too into it until the 1 minute mark, but it all quickly changed.. I have to come back to this in a few..

it's almost too much to handle in one session..
 
Jeff, I got pulled away... but I wanted to add that I agree about the snare in some places. .. like the snare rolls I need to re-do. I liked the snare sound other than that, but it's still new to me too.
As for the verb...yes I agree. I actually love your sound, but I think it's not so much just the verb/track balance, but the other settings such as pre-delay, room size, diffusion, etc. that make a big difference in how big you can take things and still keep it somewhat managable..
Thanks again Jeff!

Thanks Sam. Do you think I should add anything (making room of course) or go with just the guitars? Vocals were fun to do...I was exploring a bit, still am.
I wonder if I need to do something with the first verse to spice it up? What it sounds like I'm hearing from you guys so far is that the first verse kinda puts you off. Any suggestions?
 
very clean, instruments in balance and complimenting to support the vocal tracks. Theatrical arrangment was cool, I like a little fatter drums but these worked with it. Bass sound was nice and pro sounding. There`s a cool spot in the verse loops where it comes around each time, I can hear the acoustic doing an upbeat that has air on each side of it, a real cool happnin'. :) I was jus bout hearin some badass flute or recorder come in..
 
Ahhh...I understand the drum problem now!

I had an EQ with a huge low roll-off. I was having trouble with clashing in the lower frequencies, and I forgot to shut it off. I didn't even notice.

I'm uploading the "fix". Least I hope it's the fix...thanks

:)

EDIT: Hey Toki...thanks man. I like the idea about a flute, like maybe in a Jethro Tull sorta style. Now to find someone who could try that.
Thanks bro.
 
Wow :eek:

I am Not Worthy but since you are open for ideas I am going to try.

The "fake Bass" in the beginning is very cool and I think you are going for an upright sound. If there is someone around here that actually plays the real thing it would be over the edge!
Also, in the beginning part I could dig one of those...........umm.....shit......I don't know what they are called but the are like a combination shaker/grinding sound percussive thing (???) WAIT!!!!!! The Stones use it in the intro of Gimme Shelter..... Sorry if I am off the edge here. I hope you know the sound I mean:confused:

The mix is great! sounds are spread enough to create a wide sound without losing any one instrument to any one space (Man........I should have been a politicion with that kinda talk!)
The entire tune could use more bottom end at times, but that is a personal thing for me and can be ignored.

Nice tune!
Joel

Edit.....I just noticed your EQ Statement............ :o
 
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I just finished listening to Crawdad's cover...then Jmarcoumbs song again.. then this.

I used to think I got a half decent sound, but you guys just clean the floor with one sweep.

I hear such MAJOR improvement to the point of "being there" with a couple of you guys (and sabb), that there is NO MORE room for critiquing. I think some people really try and offer comments (like myself), but it's just pure bullshit at this point. You guys don't need comments.. you need distribution.

If I were to "keep up with the Jones' " and try to get half as good a sound, I would need to quit my job, hook up with some musicians that are a couple levels up from me, record about 50 hours a week, find a kick ass engineer and producer, and nothing less.

I'm as serious as a heart attack.
 
What mixmkr said.

Nothing negative here outside the realm of preference...(I'm starting to get burnt on that huge tom sound, but is that even a criticism?...it's like saying you don't like loud guitars, lol).

Oh, and I'm only tired of the huge tom sound b/c I can't find a way to get it. I'm sick of hearing it on OTHER recordings, lol.
 
.."I've been posting ruffies lately" LOL!! Man if you have I musta missed it hehe. "Distribution"...mix said it best thats what you and a few other guys i'been listening to needs fer sure. The one thing I dig about you're tunes man is, I think you could be more than just nation wide with your talent...i'm thinking more like "Worldwide"...oh hell did I just "gush":D. Great tracks Tom.
 
I was listening to this as i was uploading my tune, i almost stopped the upload!!!:D Damn your talented!!!! in all aspect's, this is a total jam!! I have nothing but GUSH for this!
and i think a flute would be cool too!!!!!!! good call Toki!

yeah, this rock's!

Thank's sluice!

peace

Rick
 
sluice,

sounds really good......the thing i like most about your tunes is the consistency of the production..........your productions always have a very similar feel...dry acoustics...great vocal tones...nice electrics...........i truly envy the consistency of your productions........you've found what works for you and it seems like you can now do it whenever you want..........
 
My God! This is your ruffie? If you weren't so damn good, I could get a real ATTITUDE about how perfect your stuff is sounding. Ruffie, my ass!

I don't know if I heard the original or the re-post, but what I heard was just spectacular. Loved all the sounds. Loved the drums and guitars. Love your TIMING. Dudes, this guy got game, I mean...meter!

SluiCe, I mean this in the best way possible, but would you please screw up something on purpose so I'd have something to nitpick about? :D I think you've got it down. Just keep writing them and recording them. Sounds like a major label release AS IS. Synth optional. Just depends if you want any contrasting textures, which might open up new possiblilities in a couple sections. I think this might be a case of "less is more".

Towards the end, when you get back to the raven, there was a spot I was expecting a full frontal assault guitar solo, but you don't want to redo the whole song just for that. AND--I'm seriously looking into that rod and reel for spring. It seems to be working wonders with you! Great stuff!
 
Tom Waits on speed. Damn, this is really, really, really good. You're one of those Americans that import a bit of a European feel into the music, but again the main reason I like your stuff is because I haven't heard anything like it anywhere else.

"her eyes were like cries for her mother"

The contrast betweend the up-close-to-the-mic vocal and the full-throated sung part is wonderful. Ditto acoustic/e guitars.

Look, I can't offer any suggestions for improvement - you've nailed it on all fronts as far as I'm concerned. This is one of the best songs I've heard in this clinic. This one raises the bar. You bastard. :D

Wonderful - I wish there was more than 5 stars you could give a song.

And at 3.02, it's pop radio ready. LOL
 
I'd love to hear those les pauls/marshall more prominent at 1:54 on. Would make for a great big ending.

The snare is a little "tinny" to me. Maybe it's too much high mids for my liking.

Other than that...I love it! Keep putting out excellent stuff.

Oh, and great sound for a Seagull. I've got one too, and if I record acoustic I usually borrow one from a friend because my Seagull is too thuddy sounding. Yours sounds great.
 
sorry dude. can't get to it.

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